Outsider Chronicles: Legend of Lief
by Dis Lexic
Summary: Getting reborn as the hidden prince of a nation consumed by Darkness is not fun. Especially if that means you're basically going to be forced to go on a pretty intense scavenger hunt to find a bunch of magic stones. Of course, that alone would be to little of a headache for the bastard who put me here, so I naturally have to have a glowing birthmark on my hand. This is gonna blow..
1. Chapter 1

Outsider Chronicles: Legend of Lief

Getting reborn as the hidden prince of a nation consumed by Darkness is not fun. Especially if that means you're basically going to be forced to go on a pretty intense scavenger hunt to find a bunch of magic stones. Of course, that alone would be to little of a headache for the bastard who put me here, so I naturally have to have a glowing birthmark on my hand. This is really gonna blow...

 **So here we go with another idea that, frankly, I have no idea how far it'll go. When I was a kid, I loved the Deltora Quest books, so it was pretty much inevitable that I'd eventually come back to them. However, theres no fun in having a weakling like Lief as a protagonist, so lets give him something new and powerful. I toyed with the idea of giving him Ddraig again or possibly Albion, just for shits and giggles, but then it hit me. A Dark king, a blond hero, a massive scavenger hunt...DEAR DIN, ITS PERFECT! Plus I've been wanting to do a LoZ story for a while. Anyway, enjoy!**

Chapter 1

Let me tell you, death by a giant, fiberglass devil falling on your head is not fun. Still, apparently Death is not the end for me and I found myself waking up as a baby. I think I'll skip over my childhood so we can get to the good stuff, although to be fair, I also don't really want to talk about it. Lets just say that theres a bloody good reason you can't remember that time and leave it at that.

Actually, theres one more thing I should mention. My new home isn't my old one, not even close. Actually, it seemed like I'd been reborn into the Dark Ages...right up until I realized I recognized my parents and my new name. My Parents were called Jarred and Anna, an apparently simple blacksmith and his wife living in the city of Del with their son, Lief. Thats me by the way. So yeah, reborn as the hidden Prince of the kingdom of Deltora and future target for a Dark Lord of unknown power as I head out on a scavenger hunt for a bunch of magic jewelry. My life's gonna suck…

* * *

Still, I suppose its not all bad. While I'd always enjoyed the Deltora Quest books, I'd always been mildly annoyed at how weak Lief seemed half the time. Plus, I knew exactly what we'd end up facing, so I made it a point to do my best to become as strong as I could. It certainly helped that I seemed to be unnaturally talented with a sword and shield to the point where I mastered them in no time flat. Of course, I also learnt the arts of blacksmithing (I was less good at that), made to memorize entire passages from the Book of Deltora and so on. I also made it a point to learn how to fight bare handed, mostly through play with the other kids, but also from the few lessons I took last time through. The final thing I taught myself was free running and climbing, mostly because half the time Lief got into trouble it was because he wasn't fast enough at climbing.

* * *

I was floating high above a large, open space surrounded by dark clouds and with what looked like a reflective pool as the floor, watching from above as two figures clashed blades again and again in a shower of sparks. At first glance, it appeared that one figure, a hulking monster of a man with black scale armour and long, glowing hair that moved like flames, had a huge advantage over his opponent due to his size and apparent strength as he was swinging a sword larger than me around with one hand. However, despite the size difference, his opponent, a young man in green, was holding his own. More than that, he was winning. Eventually, the green clad boy managed to break through the monsters guard and drove his sword into its chest, striking a finishing blow. The Monster staggered back, black blood leaking from its wounds. It regained its balance and fixed the hero with a glare, opening its mouth and….

* * *

"LIEF, GET UP NOW!"

"YIKES!"

THUMP!

"Owww…"

I groaned as I pushed myself up off the hardwood floor. You'd think I'd have learnt by now not to sleep in or else my Mother would either drag me out of bed or shout loud enough to scare me out of sleep. However, despite spending the last 16 years doing just that, I still managed to sleep in more often than not. It certainly didn't help that I'm rather lazy by nature and often took naps in the sun when I could get away with it.

I rolled to my feet and stretched, yawning widely as I walked over to my dresser to get dressed. As I did, I paused as I remembered what day it was.

"Guess that today's the day I go on an adventure," I muttered as I pulled on my trousers.

* * *

As I expected, my parents allowed me to take the day off for my birthday, so I spent it getting into trouble with my friends and ending with a meal of apples from a forgotten old tree. Unlike the original Lief however, I wasn't about to risk getting caught out by the Gray Guards, so I headed home before sunset, much to the relief of my parents. I think they were worried I might be late and end up dead in a ditch somewhere. Like I'd ever be that stupid.

Anyway, we sat down for our evening meal and, once that was done, Father led me into his study area and sat me down where he proceeded to tell me his tale, how he used to be the 'friend of the King' and all that. I already knew it of course, but I still acted suitably surprised.

"And you didn't tell me this until now because…?" I said.

"We thought it best to keep silent until now, Lief," said Mum from where she was stood by the fire, "It was so important, you see, that no word reached the ears of the Shadow Lord."

"Thats fair enough I guess," I said, "But why now?"

Mum and Dad glanced at one another.

"Because, now that you are old enough, we have something we must ask of you," said Dad, "As you know, the only thing that can defeat the Shadow Lord is the Belt. Over the years, I have spent my days keeping my eyes and ears open for any information I could find on the possible locations of the Gems so that it could be restored and the Heir found."

"Until you were ten your father believed that he himself would be the one who would go to seek the gems of Deltora, when the time came," said Mum, "But then —"

She broke off, glancing at Dad sitting in his armchair, his injured leg stuck stiffly out in front of him. He smiled grimly.

"Then the tree fell, and I had to accept that this could not be," he finished for her, "I can still work in the forge, enough to earn our bread, but I cannot travel. And so, Lief, the task is left to you. If you are willing."

"Do I have a choice?" I asked sardonically, before sobering, "But the Belts useless without the Heir, right? I assume you know something about that as well, otherwise reforging the Belt would be a waste of time."

"When we reached the forge the king and queen made themselves look like ordinary working people," said Father, "In haste we discussed the plan for escape while outside the wind howled and the darkness of the Shadow Lord deepened over the land. And then we parted."

His face was furrowed with grief and memory.

"We knew that we might never meet again. Endon had realized by then that by his foolishness and blindness the people's last trust in him had been destroyed. The Belt would never again shine for him. All our hopes rested with his unborn child."

"That doesn't answer my question," I said, "How do we know they are even still alive? They could have been captured and killed or even died on their own."

Dad heaved himself to his feet and removed his belt. He cut the stitching at one end with his knife and pulled out what was hidden inside. My breath caught. Sliding from the leather tube was a fine steel chain linking seven steel medallions. I knew what the belt looked like from the books and Anime depictions, but to see it in person...well, lets just say that a mere description or animated depiction could never do the belt true justice. Despite being fashioned from steel, the entire thing shone like polished silver and its clasps were designed to look like a pair of spread wings when closed.

"Is that…" I breathed.

"The Belt of Deltora," said Father, apparently pleased by my awe, "I reforged it from the pieces Endon and his wife recovered, ready for the day that we could recover the Gems. It is also how I know that Endon's blood still lives. If his line had gone, the Belt would have crumbled to dust."

Well, that and he was Endon himself, but that was kinda irrelevant for now.

"Take it Lief," said Father, holding out the Belt, "I cannot be its bearer any more. It is up to you to watch over it until it is complete and its true bearer found."

I hesitantly reached out and took the belt, inwardly marveling at how light it was. Hard to believe that all the hopes and dreams of everyone in Deltora rested on this thin bit of metal. I lifted my shirt and placed the belt around my hips where I had no doubt it would remain for a very long time to come. As soon as the clasps met, there was a faint flash of light, nearly unnoticeable, but knowing what I do, I did see it. What I didn't notice until later however was that a new symbol had appeared on the clasp.

"What now?" I asked as I scratched the back of my left hand that was itching slightly for some reason.

"Now you must find the Gems," said Father, "The gems were scattered, hidden in places no one would dare to find them."

"Let me guess, they are hidden in places so dangerous that no one with an ounce of sanity would go anywhere near them?" I asked.

"So I fear," said Dad as he picked up a parchment from the table beside his chair and began slowly to unfold it, "Seven Ak-Baba were flying together around the palace tower on the day the gems were taken. They separated and flew off in different directions. We believe that each was carrying one of the gems, and each was going to one particular place to hide it. See here. I have drawn a map."

He spread the map on the table and pointed at the marked locations.

"The Lake of Tears, City of the Rats, The Shifting Sands, Dread Mountain, The Maze of the Beast, The Valley of the Lost, The Forests of Silence …" I muttered aloud as I read them, "Yep, that'd do it. Typical Dark Lords…"

"Indeed," said Father with a slight smirk, "We know little about each location, other than they are incredibly dangerous and infested with dangerous creatures. Knowing this, are you still willing to go?"

I sighed.

"Well, I can't say I'm entirely pleased about doing so," I said, "But I honestly have no choice. If we allow the Shadow Lord to keep his hold on Deltora, this age of Darkness will never end."

I opened my eyes and looked at my Father with determination in my gaze.

"I'll do it," I said, "Dangerous or not, I can and WILL succeed!"

As if in response to my declaration, the belt hummed slightly and the back of my hand tingles slightly. My parents both looked shocked, before Father burst out laughing.

"I honestly don't know what I was expecting," he said, "You always were courageous Lief, possibly a little too courageous. Then again, I suppose in this dark time, we need people like that. A Hero to burn away this Darkness, just like so many do in the legends."

I smiled back, before turning to my Mother, who was crying, despite her smile.

"Don't worry Mum," I said, "I won't die. I promise."

Mum chuckled weakly.

"I know you won't," she said, "You are blessed Lief, blessed by the Goddesses. But despite that, I still don't want to let you go."

I stepped forwards and hugged my Mother, rubbing her back as she clung to me.

"What mother wants to let their child walk into danger like that," she said.

"I know, but I have to do this," I said.

Mum stepped out of my arms and nodded.

"Of course you do," she said.

"Courage and strength of heart are all well and good, but you will need more if you intend to win," said Father as he bent down and drew something from under his chair, "Here, a birthday gift for you."

He placed the bundle on the table and I quickly unwrapped it, revealing a sheathed sword, a cloak and a wooden shield, painted with a depiction of the Belt. I blinked at the last item. Well, that was a tad unexpected.

"I made it on our own forge," said Father, tapping the sword with his finger, "It is the finest work I have ever done. The shield I bought from a traveling Merchant when they came through, but it is also a fine work. Care for them well, and it will care for you."

"The Cloak is from me," said Mum, "The fabric is... special. I used every art I knew in its making, and wove much love and many memories into it, as well as strength and warmth."

Father stood up and put his arm around her. She leaned against him lovingly, but tears shone in her eyes. I looked at them both.

"You never doubted that I would agree to go on this quest," I said quietly.

"We knew you too well to doubt it," said Mother, trying to smile. "I was sure, as well, that you would want to start at once. Food and water for the first few days of your journey are already packed and waiting. You can leave within the hour, if you wish."

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded.

"That may be best," I said, "If I wait until morning, I may change my mind."

"There is one thing more," said Father, limping to the door, "You will not be alone on your quest. You will have a companion."

He swung the door open, revealing Barda standing there. The disguised Guard stepped into the room and dropped his cloak, revealing his rough, but but clean clothes and neatly trimmed beard and hair. He straightened to his full height (which was tall enough that he would need to duck to enter most doors), pushed back his tousled hair from his face, tightened his jaw, and lifted his head. As he did, I couldn't help but notice something I never had before. His eyes were red and his skin was far darker than anyone in town, even those who worked in the fields daily.

"Good evening Lief," he said.

"So, thats what you've been hiding," I said.

Barda snorted.

"I guess you're more observant than you appear," he said, "Thats good, it'll keep you alive."

I huffed at being underestimated by the big man.

"Alright then, its time for you to leave," said Father, moving over to a bookcase and pulling out a book.

The entire wall swung out, revealing a secret passage.

"Your first stop will be the Forests of Silence," said Father as Barda picked up a pack Mother had just bought into the room, "Be careful son, this will be a very dangerous journey."

"I know," I said, "We'll be back before you know it."

Father nodded and pulled me into a hug that Mother quickly joined.

"Lief, we should hurry," said Barda.

I reluctantly broke away from my Parents and followed the former guard into the tunnel, the door closing behind us.

* * *

Third Person POV

"Do you think he will be alright?" asked Anna as her Husband returned to his chair.

"He will be fine," said Jarrad, "Barda will keep him safe. Besides…"

He smiled.

"You know as well as I do the truth of that mark on the back of his hand," he said.

"Yes, and thats what worries me," said Anna, "The Shadow Lord is bad enough, but if the legends are true…"

Jarrad reached over to the bookshelf and removed a book, letting it fall open on the table.

"Then Lief will win," he said, "After all, he is the Hero."

He chuckled lowly as he looked down at the picture on the page before him. It was a boy clad in a green tunic, holding a sword with the tip pointed to the sky and a golden triangle made of three smaller ones behind him.

* * *

The Forests of Silence

High in the trees of the Forest, a young girl stirred slightly in her sleep as her left hand clenched, revealing a faintly glowing triangle on the back as she dreamed of a boy clad in green.

* * *

The Shadowlands

In his chambers, the being known as the Shadow Lord awoke from dreams of conquest as a rather strange feeling washed over him.

"Hmm? Whats this?" he mused as he sat up, "I feel like something has changed...is it the Belt? No, that is no threat to me, not any more…"

He pushed his flaming red hair out of his eyes, before pausing and looking down at his left hand. There, clearly visible against his dark olive-green skin, was a triangle made up of three smaller ones with the top one fully shaded in while the other two were empty.

"Could it be..?" he muttered, "No, thats impossible. Besides, without that cursed Sword, they haven't a hope of stopping me."

He frowned.

"Then again, I cannot afford to be reckless."

He clambered out of his massive bed and quickly sent out messages to his many Servants with orders to keep an eye out for anyone matching the description of the Hero or Princess. He would not allow to defeat him, especially not that accursed Hero!

 **And done. Yeah, I really don't know why I bothered with trying to hide the fact that the Shadow Lord is Ganondorf in this reality, its freaking obvious. You can probably guess who the 'Zelda' of this story is as well if you know anything about Deltora.**

 **So yeah, this is a genuine crossover. Deltora is Hyrule way into the future to the point that the Blood of the Goddess is no longer on the Throne (although it still exists). However, that does NOT mean that the old tribes of Hyrule are no longer present. In fact, I already have plans for how its all gonna work. It does mean that a few things have been changed, but thats the nature of Fanfictions.**

 **Hmm, I wonder why the Belt changed when Lief touched it? Could there be more to it than first appears? Actually, I think thats a given.**

 **Let me be perfectly clear about this. As of right now, Lief has NO idea that the world he lives in is also part LoZ and this isnt a case of denial. There is literally no way he would ever have figured it out. Sure, hes heard a few legends that refer to the Hero, but they have changed so much over the years (or at least, the ones he has have) that he could never have figured it out. I suppose that the Triforce on his hand could have tipped him off, but I'm pretty sure that they are usually invisible unless in use. At least, here they are.**

 **Oh, before I forget, could someone clear up for me whether or not Zelda is also reincarnated? I know that Link usually is as he inherits the Spirit of the Hero, and Ganondorf definitely is, but I'm not sure about Zelda. The 'Blood of the Goddess' implies that its her line rather than her being incarnated into each step of the cycle.**

 **And with that, I am done. I actually kinda want to continue with this since I like Deltora Quest and I've come up with two pages worth of notes already, but knowing me, I probably won't. Anyway, don't forget to leave a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Outsider Chronicles: Legend of Lief

Getting reborn as the hidden prince of a nation consumed by Darkness is not fun. Especially if that means you're basically going to be forced to go on a pretty intense scavenger hunt to find a bunch of magic stones. Of course, that alone would be to little of a headache for the bastard who put me here, so I naturally have to have a glowing birthmark on my hand. This is really gonna blow...

 **And we're back. Before I begin, I have this to say...DON'T ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT! Its really annoying when I can't just PM the answer to you. However, I'll answer it anyway. The question was if this happened after Breath of the Wild or if it was a different timeline. Well, my original intent was to have it be set in the flood timeline, but thats kinda gone out the window cus I plan for the Kokiri and Zora to show up. Its best to assume that this happens in its own timeline since I haven't played BotW yet. Anyway, enjoy!**

Chapter 2

The tunnel existed onto a dark path surrounded by trees, as most of the roads around Del were. I was content with allowing Barda to lead as I had never left the City before and he seemed to know where he was going. I kept my guard up though, although I appeared relaxed. My sword, sheathed across my back under my shield, was loose in its sheath and ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. Not that I was expecting trouble for a while.

After a few hours of walking, we came to a fork where Barda stopped. The main path continued off, while the side road was narrower, crossing a little wooden bridge and then winding away into the darkness.

"I believe that this is the path to Wenn Del and the shortest way to the Forests," said Barda, "The turning fits the description I was given. But there should be a signpost, and there is none."

Now here I had a choice. On one hand, I could easily avoid the first danger of our quest by simply suggesting we go the long way, on the other, if I did that then, chances are we wouldn't meet Jasmine and, considering how many times she'd save our bacon, we'd probably be dead before we even found the Topaz. Hmm, potential death at the hands of a monster but gaining a loyal friend or definite death at the hands of a ghostly knight obsessed with flowers...tough choice.

I glanced around for the signpost, aided by the handy moonlight, and quickly spotted it under some leaves.

"Here it is," I said, brushing away the leaves that covered it, "Looks like someone pushed it over…"

I trailed off when I saw the word BEWARE that had been scrawled across the sign.

"Well, thats not ominous at all."

"Someone has tried to warn other travelers of danger along this path," muttered Barda, "No doubt the sign was not pushed over to hide the way, but to hide the warning."

I sighed and got to my feet, brushing off my leggings as I did.

"Well, looks like we'll have to ignore it," I said, "Deep joy."

Barda raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?" he asked, "This path will save us a day and a half, if we take it, but perhaps I should not lead you into certain peril when we have just begun."

"Can we really afford to waste any time?" I asked, "The Shadow Lord has spys everywhere and he will learn of our quest sooner or later. We are prepared for trouble, now. We will watch for danger as we go."

"Very well," said Barda, turning to face the path, "Come, lets go."

We headed down the path that quickly started to get narrower and darker. Tall, thick bushes lined it on both sides, not helping the darkness in the slightest. Their leaves were large, smooth, and stiff, with strange, pale veins showing almost white against the dark green. Yeah, I don't think those are normal in the slightest.

* * *

We had not gone far before the back of my hand began to prickle, as it often did when someone was watching me or trying to sneak up on me. I turned my head slightly and, from the corner of my eye, caught a glimpse of something gleaming through the leaves. It was a pair of red eyes, glinting in the moonlight. I gritted my teeth. The next few minutes were REALLY going to suck. I sped up slightly and touched Barda's arm.

"I see them," Barda muttered, "Draw your sword, but keep walking. Look to the front. Be ready."

I did as I was told, also setting my shield on my right arm. I was left handed, so naturally I held my sword in my dominant hand. I swallowed nervously as more and more eyes started to appear. I was REALLY starting to regret deciding that meeting Jasmine was worth the risk. I had definitely underestimated the creepiness factors of these stupid things.

Then something skittered across the road behind me. Without thinking, I swung around just in time to see a creature disappearing into the bushes, a bent, pale, scuttling thing that seemed all legs and arms. Just a glimpse made my skin crawl and the back of my hand itch. These things were...wrong. So wrong.

"Look ahead!" hissed Barda, furiously dragging on my arm to make me move again, "Didn't I tell you —"

Then the humming began. The sound that the Wenn made was absolutely horrible. Rather than insect buzzing, it sounded almost like music, but no instrument could ever make a sound like that. It quickly built in intensity and it wasn't long before my head was pounding, my ears were ringing and I'm pretty sure my eardrums were starting to tear.

Desperate to shut it out, we clapped our hands to our ears and bent our heads against it, walking fast, faster, eventually breaking into a run. Our feet thudded on the endless path, not helping the pounding in my head any, but it was kind of hard to tell since all I could perceive was the pain of the sound that rose and rose, piercing my brain, driving out every thought. We ran, weaving and stumbling, desperate to escape it, without any luck. Finally we fell, exhausted, to lie writhing, helpless in the dust. The sound rose to an agonizing wail of triumph. The leaves thrashed and rustled. A host of pale, lanky creatures with hot red eyes scuttled towards us and, in moments, we were covered.

Then, just as I was about to pass out, my hand suddenly flared up and a massive flash of light erupted, blasting the Wenn away. That was the last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me.

* * *

I woke slowly, with no idea of where I was or how much time had passed. There was still a dull ringing in my ears, my throat was raw and every muscle in my body was aching. Basically, I felt like I had the day after my Graduation last time through. Still, I was alive, so that was something. Alive and helpless unless Jasmine choses to help that is. Light slanted through branches high above me.

"It is day now, then," I thought drowsily, "Late afternoon, by the look of it. Guess it won't be long before the Wennbar shows up…"

I groaned and lifted an arm to rub my head. Wait…

I sat up and looked around in confusion. I shouldn't be able to move, right? Thats what the Wenn did. As I looked around, I realized that Barda was nowhere to be seen and, unless I was very much mistake, I was still on the path we had been attacked on. Well, wasn't that interesting, the Wenn had not taken me for some reason. The question is, why…

"Oh, your finally awake!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the unexpected voice and spun around. No one was there. I frowned and looked around in confusion.

"Who's there?" I demanded.

"Oi, I'm right here!" said the voice as something fast and glowing shot up and buzzed around my head.

I blinked and took a step back, only for my eyes to widen in utter shock when I saw what was floating in front of me. It looked like a ball of blue light with a pair of insect-like wings sticking out the side .I shook my head, slapped myself hard across the face and looked again. Nope, still there.

"Hey, quit spacing out and listen!" said the Fairy, "We don't have much time if you want to save your friend from being eaten!"

"Whoa whoa whoa, wait a sec!" I yelled, catching the fairy before it could fly away, "Whats going on here? Who and what are you?"

"Tch, damn, I hate the curious ones," grumbled the Fairy, "Alright kiddo, listen very carefully cus I'm only gonna say this once."

She wriggled out of my hands and flew up into my face, her light dimming slightly to reveal that she wasn't actually a ball of light, but rather a tiny humanoid with pale skin, blue hair tied in pigtails, blue eyes and wearing a dress that looked like it was made of petals.

"My name is Navi and I'm a Fairy," she said, "Normally I wouldn't show myself to Humans like you, but something about you blasted away the Wenn and prevented them from touching you. That means that you might be the person I've been waiting for."

I blinked.

"Person you were...what are you talking about?" I asked.

Navi (Aw shit, this could end badly) sighed.

"Truthfully, I have no idea of the specifics," she said, "All I know is what the Great Deku Tree told me before he was trapped by the Dark. He told me that one day, a Human clad in green would come and he would have the power to finally defeat the Darkness that has settled over this forest for so long."

I glanced down at my clothes. Sure enough, I was indeed wearing a green tunic over a white shirt and leggings...wait a Chu sucking minute!

I wrenched my glove off and looked down at the back of my hand. Sure enough, there was the mark I'd had since birth, sitting there innocently as if it hadn't just made my life about a million times more complicated. For most of my life, the mark had been little more than a slight discolouration of skin, barely noticeable, but now it was clearly standing out. An outline of a triangle split into three smaller ones with the bottom right one filled in. Shite, this won't end well!

"Oh, thats interesting," said Navi, suddenly popping over my shoulder, making me jump, "Although it does explain why the Wenn couldn't take you."

She frowned and looked me up and down.

"You know, I always thought that the Hero of Legend would be taller…" she mused.

"Whats that supposed to mean?" I growled.

"Oh, nothing," said Navi, "Now come on. I'll explain on the way."

I hesitated for a moment, before following the Fairy deeper into the woods, listening closely as she told me the true history of the Forests of Silence and, although she didn't know it, Deltora as a whole. As it turns out, the Forests were once known by different names. The Lost Wood, the Kokiri Forest and the Faron Woods, and had been the home of the Deku Trees and the Kokiri people. However, at some point in the past, a Darkness had swept over the forest, bringing with it the Wennbar and a powerful curse that had transformed the Kokiri into the Wenn while simultaneously stripping the Great Deku Tree of its power. Now, the only light to be found was the Lilies of Life, which were actually the last remnants of the Trees power.

"So basically, you want me to drive out the Darkness by killing the Wennbar?" I asked.

"Pretty much," said Navi, "Of course, that should break the curse over the Kokari, but you'll also need to do something about the undead Knight in the Great Deku Tree's clearing, otherwise the forest will never be free of the Darkness."

I sighed. Well, wasn't this an annoying turn up for the books. Whats next, the Lake of Tears is actually Lake Hyrule and the cursed people are the Zora? Actually, considering this revelation, that wouldn't surprise me in the least considering the Lake of Tears was next and it was probably Lake Hyrule.

"Alright fine, I'll do it," I said, "He probably has what I need anyway…"

"You mean the Topaz?" asked Navi.

"Yep."

"Then he does. But first, we need to save your friend and defeat the Wennbar."

"Greaaaat," I muttered.

At that moment, we reached the end of the treeline and Navi stopped.

"We're here," she said, "This is where the Wenn leave the offerings."

I crouched down and stuck my head through the leaves, just in time to see a girl drop out of the trees and land beside Barda. At the sight of the girl who could only be Jasmine, my eyes widened in utter shock, before I pulled my head back in, grabbed it and did my best to hold back a scream of rage and frustration. Why? Well, the future addition to our group was slightly different to how she was depicted in both the book and the Anime. The main and most obvious difference was that, instead of having dark hair, hers was blond, although it was still wild and tangled, and her ears were pointed. Actually, so were mine and everyone else from the Del tribe, so that particular detail wasn't as surprising as it could be. However, with the new information Navi had given me, I was willing to bet good money that the Del tribe had originally been the Hylians.

Anyway, other than her blond hair, Jasmine looked mostly like I was expecting, elifin features, short and slim stature and wearing the outfit she did in the Anime, crimson arm guards, leggings/boots, a utility belt, pink collar, pink dress, and a gray toga made of what looked like the same material as the Gray Guards uniforms.

I sighed and stood. This was going to be a minor pain in the rear. I stepped out of the treeline and slowly headed towards the Guard and Wild Girl. I was a few meters away when Kree the Raven spotted me and let out a loud caw. Immediately, Jasmine spun around, her knife flashing out of its sheath, ready to slash my throat. I ducked under it, smacking her arm up in such a way that her fingers released the knife and spun, catching the knife and ending with the tip pressed against her throat.

"Wha…" was all she could say as she stared down at the tip of her own knife with wide eyes.

"Nice to meet you too," I drawled as I removed the knife from her throat and took a step back.

Jasmine immediately jumped away and glared at me.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"My name is Lief," I said, "And this big lug…"

"HEY!" said Barda.

"Is my traveling companion, Barda."

Jasmine narrowed her eyes at me, but didn't say anything as I bent down to check on Barda.

"Are you OK?" I asked.

"Yes, but I can't move," said the big man, "What about you?"

"I'm fine," I said, "Those things didn't do anything to me other than knock me out. I came to a short time ago."

I glanced back at Jasmine, who was still watching us suspiciously.

"I don't suppose you have anything that could help, do you?" I asked.

The girl snorted and stuck her nose in the air.

"Why would I want to help Gray Guards like you?" she asked.

I raised an eyebrow.

"What in the world gave you the impression we were Gray Guards?" I asked.

"Only Grey Guards take the Wenn Del path, for it leads nowhere but to the Forests," said Jasmine.

"We are not Guards," growled Barda, "We came to the Forests for good reason."

"What reason?" asked Jasmine.

"To help drive out the Darkness!" said Navi, popping up out of nowhere and making everyone jump.

"What the...a Fairy?!" spluttered Barda in shock as Jasmine stared at the little orb of light in surprise.

"Wha...why would a Fairy be with a Guard?!" she spluttered.

"Because their not Guards you stupid girl!" said Navi, "Come on girl, use that common sense thats kept you alive for this long. If Lief was a Guard, you'd be dead right now."

Jasmine gulped and rubbed her throat where I'd placed the knife.

"Oh, speaking of which, you can have this back," I said, tossing the knife back.

Jasmine caught it instinctively and looked between it and me uncomprehendingly.

"Hey listen, we need to do something about Barda," said Navi, "It won't be long before the Wennbar shows up. You have an antidote to the Wenn's poison, right?"

"I-I do, but…" started Jasmine.

"Then go get it!" said Navi, "Hurry!"

Jasmine hesitated for a moment longer, before leaping into the trees and vanishing. I sighed as I sat down beside Barda.

"And now we wait," I said as I removed my cloak and tucked it under Barda's head.

"Now we wait," said the big man.

We fell silent as the sun began to dip below the horizon. I really hope she hurries because I did NOT want to fight the Wennbar while having to protect Barda at the same time.

 **And there we go. Done. Well, wasn't this a chapter full of revelations. I actually planned to save the reveal that the Forests were actually the Lost Woods until after Lief defeated the Wennbar and all the Wenn turned back into the Kokiri, but the idea of him meeting Navi was way to good.**

 **Incidentally, yes, Navi will indeed be tagging along. If only so I can enjoy the irony considering who'll be making an appearance once they get the Topaz back.**

 **Yes, I changed Jasmine's hair colour and gave the Del Tribe pointed ears. I really don't think I need to spell out why, do I?**

 **Anyway, short AN here, so I'll sign off. Next time, Lief vs the Wennbar...who is the mid-dungeon boss. Until next time, don't forget to leave a review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Outsider Chronicles: Legend of Lief

Getting reborn as the hidden prince of a nation consumed by Darkness is not fun. Especially if that means you're basically going to be forced to go on a pretty intense scavenger hunt to find a bunch of magic stones. Of course, that alone would be to little of a headache for the bastard who put me here, so I naturally have to have a glowing birthmark on my hand. This is really gonna blow...

 **And we're back. Nothing really to say, so lets dive right in. Enjoy!**

Chapter 3

Night had fallen by the time Jasmine returned with the antidote, dropping out of the trees to land next to me, making me jump in the process. Jasmine ignored me as she crouched down next to Barda and tilted his head up.

"Drink this," she said.

Barda did as he was told and immediately started coughing at the no doubt horrible taste.

"Are you OK?" I asked.

"I think so," said Barda, before looking up at Jasmine, "That potion...where did you learn how to make it?"

Jasmine opened her mouth to respond, but Kree interrupted her with a loud caw.

"We can talk later, we need to hurry!" said the girl, "The Wennbar is coming!"

I quickly helped Barda to his feet and followed Jasmine to one of the trees. As we did, Kree let out another loud caw.

"I know, Kree!" Jasmine gasped, as the bird flapped anxiously around her head, "I can smell it."

So could I. It was a stench that I could only truly describe as evil, a faint, sickening odor of decay that slithered through the air like a living thing. I could feel my hand begin to prickle and Navi was buzzing around worriedly as we scrambled up the trunk of the tree.

"Higher!" shouted Jasmine "As high as you can. It cannot climb, but it will try to claw us down."

By this point Barda had recovered enough that he was climbing under his own power, so I was able to rapidly reach one of the highest branches that was able to support my weight. Once there, I turned and helped Barda heave himself up onto the branch as Jasmine hopped up beside me, shooting an impressed look my way as she did. The evil smell was stronger now and the sound of something massive moved towards the clearing. I crouched down and drew my sword, planting the blade in the wood.

"What are you doing?" asked Jasmine when she saw my sword, "You can't be thinking of fighting that thing?"

"The Wennbar is the source of all the Darkness in these woods," said Navi, "It must be destroyed if light is ever to return to them."

"But its too strong," said Jasmine.

"He can do it," said Barda, "Trust me girl, Lief has far more strength in him than you might think. If anyone can drive out the Darkness, it is him."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I muttered.

At that moment, there was an almighty crash and the puff ball on Jasmine's shoulder that was Filli let out a scream as the stench in the air thickened to the point that I could practically feel it on my skin. Then a huge, hideous creature, like nothing I had ever seen outside of a Souls game, crawled into view. Four stubby legs bent under the weight of a swollen body that was as round, blotched, and bloated as some gigantic rotten fruit. Vast, flat feet crushed the twigs beneath them to powder. Folds of wrinkled, green-grey flesh hung from the neck and the head was nothing but two tiny eyes set above long, wicked jaws. The jaws gaped open, showing rows of dripping black teeth and releasing gusts of foul air with every breath. Suddenly, I wasn't so sure I could win this. However, despite that, I knew I couldn't back down. Despite logic telling me that fighting such a monster was suicide, every instinct I had was screaming at me that this thing had to die.

I took a deep breath and stood, gripping my sword, ready to pull it from the wood. Before I could though, Jasmine stepped forwards and placed a hand on the hilt, stopping me from pulling it free.

"This is crazy!" she said, "I didn't just save you so you can throw your life away!"

I glanced at her and smiled.

"Aww, I had no idea you cared so much," I said.

Jasmine blushed slightly and glared at me.

"I don't," she said, "But if you die, he won't be far behind you, which means I just wasted a dose of antidote."

I stared at her for a moment, before I reached up and took my cloak of.

"In that case, hold onto this," I said, handing her the cloak, "Consider it a down payment. When I come back alive, you won't have wasted your antidote and I'll take it back, but if I die, you can keep it as payment."

Jasmine stared at me in shock, although it didn't look like it was because I'd just handed over the cloak. However, I ignored her as I pulled my sword free and took my shield of my back.

"Here we go," I muttered.

By this point, the Wennbar was on its hind legs, glaring up at us as it tried to reach us, but even at full length, its extendable neck couldn't reach us. I took a deep breath and leaped from the branch, sword leading the way. The Wennbar looked surprised by my admittedly reckless reckless action and recoiled slightly. It recoiled even more when I drove my sword into its head, right between the eyes. The monster roared in pain as it stumbled back, its head thrashing back and forth as I held on with all my strength. I gritted my teeth as I struggled to keep my grip, despite the violent ride, as the Wennbar fell back on all fours and started crashing around the clearing, trying to get me off. After a few moments, it paused and shifted, before it suddenly charged forwards at impressive speed considering its ungainly form. I glanced back and saw it was running towards a tree, clearly intending to crush me.

I scowled and shifted my weight, using my sword as a pivot to flip up and land on the beast's head, sprinting along its body and down its tail, just as it slammed into a tree with all its strength. The entire forest seemed to shake and the tree groaned in protest from the impact. The Wennbar let out a dazed moaning sound as it staggered back, only to let out a howl of pain as I sprinted under its legs and carved a deep gash in its belly, jamming my sword right up to the hilt in its flesh. I shot out the other side in a spray of blood as foul smelling, gray guts spilled out of the wound. The Wennbar let out a keening wail as it stumbled back and forth, its guts dragging on the ground, before it fell on its side with a thump, twitching weakly.

Breathing heavily, I approached the beasts head, drawing its evil, yellow eyes to my movement. I could see nothing but pain, rage and hatred in those orbs and, even in its death throws, it still tried to snap at me. My response was to take my sword and drive it straight through its eye into its brain. The Wennbar let out one last screech, before falling limp.

With the beast dead, I released the death grip I had on my sword and stumbled back, falling onto my bum as I did. That was...absolutely terrifying! Hell, I don't even know how I did that! The Wennbars skin should have been far too tough for my sword to cut through. Even with my Fathers skill in the Forge, it was still an ordinary sword, so how had it cut the monster's stomach open so easily? I glanced down at my hand where the Triforce was glowing faintly. I snorted. Of course, what else could it have been?

"Lief!"

I looked up to see Barda and Jasmine dropping down to the floor. As soon as he hit the ground, Barda quickly checked me over.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine," I said.

"I can't believe it," said Jasmine, staring at the dead monster with awe, "You actually killed it…"

"See, I knew he could do it!" said Navi as she buzzed down and landed on my shoulder, the glow around her fading as she did, revealing that she had her arms folded smugly, "You should learn to put more faith in others girly."

"My name is Jasmine, not girly!" snapped Jasmine, "Damned firefly!"

Navi just grinned and flashed a peace sign. Jasmine growled and looked like she was about to say something, but before she did, she stiffened and spun around.

"Whats wrong?" asked Barda.

"The Wenn are coming," she said fearfully, "They think the Wennbar is done with you. When they see you killed it…"

"They'll be freed," said Navi.

Jasmine and Barda looked down at the little Fairy in confusion.

"What do you mean?" asked Barda.

"You'll see," said Navi, indicating to the shadows as the Wenn began to emerge from the dark, "Just watch."

The pale, twisted creatures slowly emerged from the Darkness, staring at the stinking mound that was the Wennbar's carcass as if they couldn't quite believe it, before slowly turning to look at me. Beside me, Jasmine gulped and reached for her knife. For a moment, there was silence, before the wind blew through the forest, carrying with it what sounded like the notes of a song. The Wenn slowly parted, allowing one of their number through that held something in its claws. It stepped away from the crowd of monsters and approached me, ignoring Barda and Jasmine as they tensed, before holding out the item. My eyes widened. It was an Ocarina made from polished wood.

"Whats that?" asked Jasmine.

"An Ocarina?" muttered Barda, "Why would they give you that?"

I hesitantly took the instrument and the Wenn sat back on its haunches, looking up at me expectantly. I hesitated for a moment, before I lifted the instrument to my lips and began to play, my fingers easily finding the correct holes, despite the fact I had never touched an ocarina in my life. It only took me a moment to recognize the song and when I did, I had to smile, despite the fact I didn't stop playing. It was the Song of Time. The instant the first note hit the air, the Wenn started to glow one by one until the clearing and forest around us was lit by blue light.

"Whats going on?" asked Jasmine.

"With the Wennbar dead, the curse that has been over these people for the past few centuries has finally been lifted," said Navi, "And, with the help of the Song of Time, they can return to their true selves."

"True selves?" asked Barda, "What do you…"

He was interrupted by the Wennbar's corpse exploding in a puff of smoke as the song reached its climax and the entire clearing was filled with a massive flash of light. When it cleared, the Wenn were gone, replaced by a small army of what appeared to be green clad children, all laughing and greeting one another for what had to be the first time in centuries. At the sight of the change, Barda and Jasmines jaws dropped.

"Thats what I mean," said Navi, "For the first time since the Darkness came and sealed away the Great Deku Tree, the Kokiri are free!"

"T-the Kokiri?!" gasped Barda, "B-but I thought they were only a myth!"

"Well, they have been Cursed for the past few hundred years and even before that they were considered to be a myth," said Navi, "That really doesn't surprise me."

I chuckled lowly as I watched the newly freed Kokiri's celebration die down and they began to turn to us, wide smiles on their faces. Once silence had once again fallen, one of the Fairy Folk stepped forwards. Like all of the Kokiri, she appeared to be a ten year old child with short, green hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a green shirt with darker green sleeves, a pair of green short shorts and a pair of equally green colored boots.

"You have our thanks for freeing us, Hero of Legend," she said with a bow, "My name is Saria, the leader of the Kokiri people while the Deku Tree remains asleep."

"He won't be asleep much longer," said Navi, "Lief here will be able to free him as well!"

"Geez, no pressure or anything," I muttered.

"Plus, we didn't exactly come here to break curses," said Barda, rubbing the back of his head, "We only came here to find something."

"The Topaz, correct?" said Saria, making both Barda and I jerk in surprise, "We may have been lost in Darkness, but we were still able to learn some things. We know what our Forest has become over the years and what the Shadow Lord has done in recent times."

She looked down sadly for a moment, before shaking her head and looking up again, meeting my eyes with a determined expression.

"The Topaz you seek is being guarded by a powerful warrior, deep in the heart of the Forest," she said, "It is also the grove where the Deku Tree once stood. If you can defeat him and banish the remaining Darkness, the Deku Tree will be freed as well."

Barda looked a little put out at that and I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face.

"We'd be happy to help," I said, "Besides, if your right then we'll both get what we need."

"Wait a moment, you can't be serious!" said Jasmine, "That place...its certain death! Lief might have managed to kill the Wennbar, but that thing in the Dark is unbeatable! Your sending them to their death!"

"Thats irrelevant," said Barda, "We have no choice, we must complete our quest."

Jasmine looked between me and Barda for a moment, before sighing.

"Your both fools," she said, "But...if it helps the Forests, I guess I won't stop you. Besides, you seem determined."

"Great, now that thats decided, we should get going," I said as I got to my feet.

Before we could even think about moving however, a loud growl echoed around the clearing. Immediately, Barda's hand moved to his sword as he readied himself for a fight.

"What was that?" he said.

"Um, Barda," I said hesitantly.

"What?"

I blushed and pointed at my stomach.

"I haven't eaten since yesterday evening," I said.

Barda grumbled in annoyance as Saria and Navi snickered at the look on his face and Jasmine rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"There will be plenty of time to continue your quest later," said Saria, "For now, come with us. The least we can do is give you food for helping to free us. Plus, we have a few things that will help you greatly on your quest."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," I said, "Come on Barda."

I grabbed the big man by the wrist and dragged him after me as I followed the Kokiri through the trees with a protesting Barda and annoyed looking Jasmine following behind.

 **And there's chapter 3. So, the Wennbar's dead and the Wenn are back to their old selves. Plus, Lief gets his magical instrument and gets to play the Song of Time and Seria's put on an appearance. No, shes not the same Saria as in Ocarina of Time, shes just a character who's nearly identical. And she won't be the only one!**

 **I'm going to have some fun playing with Lief and Jasmine's relationship. Expect a lot of arguing, snappish behavior and at least one person suggesting they get a room.**

 **I really need a title for Lief, something like the Hero of Time or the Hero of Twilight. Calling him the Hero of Legend all the time doesn't really feel right. Any suggestions guys? And no, the Hero of the Belt is not one I'll consider cus it sounds like the name of a leatherworking shop.**

 **And with that, I am done. Don't forget to leave a review on the way out!**


	4. Chapter 4

Outsider Chronicles: Legend of Lief

Getting reborn as the hidden prince of a nation consumed by Darkness is not fun. Especially if that means you're basically going to be forced to go on a pretty intense scavenger hunt to find a bunch of magic stones. Of course, that alone would be to little of a headache for the bastard who put me here, so I naturally have to have a glowing birthmark on my hand. This is really gonna blow...

 **And we're back. Nothing really to say, so lets dive right in. Enjoy!**

Chapter 4

Seria led the way through the trees as the rest of the Kokiri danced and played among the trees. As we made our way through the forest, I could have sworn that the formerly dark surroundings were beginning to lighten, although that could have been the vast numbers of fairies that were emerging from the trees and buzzing around the Forest Folk.

Eventually we reached a large clearing near the base of a cliff that had a rather large cave at the base and a number of trees that seemed to have been turned into homes around the clearing that the Kokiri were zipping in and out of, gathering food and cooking supplies. At the sight of the clearing, Jasmine stopped and stared.

"Is something wrong?" asked Barda.

"This...this was the Wennbar's leir," she said, "How did it change so much so quickly?"

"A combination of Magic and the fact that the Curse affected our homes, as well as our bodies," said Seria, "We'll need to do some repairs, but for the most part, our home is untouched."

"Well, thats good," I said.

"Yep, really good," said Seria, "But thats for later. For now, lets eat!"

"YEAH!" cheered all the Kokiri.

We spent the night among the Kokiri, eating and watching the child like beings celebrate being free. At one point, Seria and a male Kokiri named Fado struck up a lively tune on an ocarina and violin I recognized as Seria's Song. Eventually, though, people started conking out and the party began to wind down around midnight. Considering the day I'd had, I was one of the first to pass out.

* * *

Fortunately, the Kokiri don't have the ability to make alcohol, so the next day we were all able to be up and about with no nasty after effects.

"So, you're going to show us where this Knight is hiding?" I asked as I eyed Jasmine who was looking somewhere between annoyed and embarrassed.

"I still think its a bad idea, but yes," she said, "Seria said she would do it, but the Kokiri need time to regain their feet. Besides…I can't help feel that I HAVE to do this."

I stared at her for a moment longer, before shrugging.

"Sure, whatever," I said, "Yo Barda, you ready to go?"

"I am," said the big man as he hoisted a bag over his shoulder.

I nodded and turned to Seria who had just walked up with a box in her hands.

"Thanks for the hospitality," I said, "I get the feeling it will be the last we have in a while."

"It was the least we could do," said the Kokiri, "You saved us from centuries of suffering, Hero of Deltora."

I blinked. Huh, looks like I get a title of my own anyway.

"Oh, before I forget, I should probably return this," I said, taking the Ocarina out of my pouch and held it out to Seria.

The Kokiri smiled and shook her head.

"No, you keep it," she said, "It belonged to another Hero long ago, back when these lands were still known as Hyrule. You might need it in the future. Also, take this."

She held out the box and opened it, releasing a flash of light. I blinked spots from my eyes and looked into the box. Resting on a bed of leaves was a boomerang made of polished wood with a metal colour in the middle with a decorative, kite cut topaz set into it. Well, that was...actually expected. Seriously, I'm the Hero, so I was obviously gonna get a weapon I could use to defeat the boss after beating the Mid-boss. I reached into the box and pulled out the boomerang, feeling a slight thrum of magic against my fingers as I did.

"Whats that?" asked Jasmine.

"Thats a Boomerang," said Barda with interest clear in his tone, "I've heard stories about them, but I've never actually seen one. Supposedly they come back when thrown."

Jasmine snorted.

"Thats impossible," she said.

"Oh really?" I asked with a smirk.

I turned on my heel and threw the weapon with a flick of my wrist. It spun through the air, cutting through a branch at the edge of the clearing as it went, before curving back and slapping into my palm as the cut branch fell to the floor with a thud.

"Um, oops," I said, "I wasn't expecting that…"

"The Topaz Boomerang is a weapon that was made by our ancestors for the Hero of Legend, should he ever rise again," said Seria, "It is tied to the Topaz and can draw power from it. However, even without it, it will always return when thrown and can cut through stone. It cannot harm living beings however, other than giving them a solid whack to the head."

"I have a feeling that this is gonna be a huge help Seria," I said, "Thanks."

Saria giggled as I patted her head.

"No problem Lief," she said, "Now hurry and help the Deku Tree!"

I nodded and turned to my companions. Jasmine and Barda both nodded and we headed out into the forest.

* * *

We quickly headed into the treetops as we followed Jasmine through the trees, moving away from the light areas and deeper into those still cursed with the Darkness.

It was noon when they crossed a small clearing and entered the middle Forest. Despite that, it was dark here as the trees hid all but a few rays of the sun here. To make matters worse, the air was nearly completely silent. Not a bird called, not an insect moved, hell, even the trees and vines through which they climbed were still, as though no breeze dared to disturb the dim, damp air. Jasmine had begun to move more slowly and carefully. Filli huddled against her neck, his head hidden in her hair. Kree no longer flew ahead, but hopped and fluttered with them from one branch to the next.

"The trees tell us to go back," whispered Jasmine, "They say that we will die."

There was fear in her voice, but she did not stop. Barda and I followed her through the thickening Forest, our ears and eyes straining for any sound or sight of danger. Fortunately, there was nothing but green all around us and the silence was broken only by the sounds of our own movement. Finally we reached a place where we could go no farther thanks to a wall of heavy, twisting vines criss-crossed and tangled together, smothering the huge trees, making a barrier like a huge, living net. This was it alright, I could feel it. Just like with the Wennbar, the back of my hand was starting to itch, a feeling I was quickly learning indicated that Darkness and Evil was nearby.

"It is the center," breathed Jasmine.

She put up her arm to Kree, who flew to her at once.

"We must go down to the ground," said Barda.

Jasmine paled shook her head rapidly.

"There is terrible danger here," she murmured, "The trees are silent, and will not answer me."

"That doesn't surprise me," I muttered, "If these things could seal the Deku Tree, they would have no problem with normal trees."

Jasmine nodded, her eyes were filled with grief, pity and anger.

"They are not dead, but they are bound," she said, "They are prisoners. They are...in torment."

"Lief, we must go down," Barda muttered again.

He turned to Jasmine.

"We thank you for all you have done for us," he said politely, "But you can do no more. We must go on alone."

I glanced at the pale and shaking Jasmine and gave a reassuring smile, before following Barda down to the forest floor. For such a big man, he was actually pretty graceful. As we reached the halfway point between our starting point and the floor, I paused as the belt began to warm against my skin.

"Its here," I said.

"Are you sure?" asked Barda.

Instead of answering, I pulled out the Boomerang. Sure enough, the topaz on the weapon was glowing faintly.

"Seria did say it was bound to the Topaz," I said.

Barda nodded and we continued down towards the floor. As soon as we did, we sank almost knee-deep in dead leaves. It was dark and utterly silent, even the leaves we were walking through seemed muffled. Spiderwebs frosted the trunks of the trees and everywhere fungus clustered in ugly lumps. The air was thick with the smell of damp and decay.

As we continued through the darkness, I felt both the warmth of the belt and the itching in my hand increase until the former was nearly hot enough to burn and the latter was replaced with an instinctive tightening of the muscles, ready for a fight.

"Its coming," I said, narrowing my eyes as I held up my sword and shield at the ready.

"Over there," said Barda, pointing with his sword.

I followed the weapon and saw a gap in the wall of vines with the hulking form of a knight stood in front of it. However, it wasn't the golden knight I was expecting. Oh, it was definitely a Knight, but he looked more like a Stalfos, clad in cracked and rusted armour painted with faded, red symbols, a three horned helmet with one horn missing and armed with a single handed sword in his left hand and buckler in his right. Set into the crossguard of his sword was a shining, yellow gem, the Topaz.

"Is that the Guardian?" muttered Barda.

"I think it must be," I said, "But who...AH!"

I winced as my left hand suddenly flared up as the Triforce flared brightly. As if in response, a single, red light appeared in the skeletons left eye socket and he began to move. He looked up, scanning the clearing, before his crimson gaze fell on me. Without thinking, I brought up my shield, just in time to catch the Stalfos' blade on my shield. The sheer force of the blow nearly drove me to my knees, but I gritted my teeth and pushed back.

" **You...I know you,"** said the Stalfos in a voice that sounded like the rattling of teeth on bone.

"LIEF, GET BACK!" roared Barda as he charged, drawing back his sword.

In response, the skeleton shoved me back and spun, slamming his shield into Barda's gut and sending the big man flying back. He hit the vine wall and immediately the vines slithered down and wrapped around him, binding him in place.

" **Do not interfere,"** said the Stalfos.

It turned back to me and eyed me as I got to my feet.

"Who are you?" I asked, "Are you the one who cursed this place?"

The Stalfos cocked his head on one side.

" **Who am I..?"** he said, **"I...I'm not sure if I know the answer to that. It has been so long, I don't even remember how I got here, let alone my name. Did I curse the tree...theres a distinct possibility of that."**

He shook his head and fixed me with a glare once more.

" **But that is irrelevant,"** he said, **"I may not remember how I got here, but I do know my purpose. I must protect this place from all comers, no matter who they may be!"**

With that said, he surged forwards, shield leading the way. I met the charge and the two of us clashed in a flurry of steel that kicked up a number of leaves and shredded them. It quickly became obvious that he was much stronger and far more experience, but despite that, I was somehow holding my own. I frowned and swung my sword, locking my blade with his.

"You're holding back," I said.

" **What are you talking about?"** asked the Stalfos, **"I am doing no such thing."**

I scowled.

"You could have killed me at least three times in that last exchange," I said, "So why didn't you?"

The Stalfos looked oddly surprised by that, although how I knew that when he had no face to look surprised with I have no idea. He shoved me, hard, sending me sliding back and breaking the lock.

" **Why indeed?"** he mused, staring down at his sword hand, **"Perhaps you remind me of someone I knew, long ago…"**

He trailed off, but I wasn't about to leave him to his contemplation. I reached into my pouch and whipped out my Boomerang, flinging it into the trees above the undead knight where it sliced through a branch and the vines keeping said branch in the air. I jumped back as the massive chunk of wood began to fall, the creaking sound snapping the Stalfos out of his musing in the process. His head snapped up to see the branch dropping towards him at incredible speed. There was no way he could dodge it, this fight was…

" **RAGHHHH!"**

My eyes widened in utter shock as the Stalfos jumped to meet the branch and swung his sword, shattering the branch into splinters in a single blow. I gulped as the Stalfos landed and turned to glare at me, the red light that was his eye brightening in response to his anger.

" **That was a very foolish thing to do, little Hero,"** he growled as he stomped forwards.

I scrabbled back, only for my foot to catch on something hidden in the leaves and send me crashing to the ground, my sword slipping from my grip. I sat up, spitting out leaves, only to freeze at the sight of the Stalfos looming over me, sword held at the ready to take my head off. I quickly held my shield up to defend myself, only for the monster to grab it and throw it aside.

"LIEF!" roared Barda from where he was bound.

I didn't hear him though, my hands too busy scrambling for something, anything to defend myself. My fingers closed around something in the loom and I whipped it up, only to find that it was the ocarina that had apparently slipped out of my pouch. Well, that was useful. However, instead of taking my head off, the undead knight paused at the sight of the instrument.

" **Wha...that Ocarina,"** he breathed, **"I...I've seen it before…"**

I blinked and looked from the Stalfos to the instrument as a rather unpleasant suspicion took root in my mind. The Knight slowly lowered his sword and crouched down to take a closer look, reaching out to run his fingers over the smooth wood.

" **Yes...I think I have,"** he said, **"I...I remember...a name, yes, a name...what was it? Saria? Yes, thats it…"**

My stomach dropped. Yep, that pretty much clinches it. This wasn't just any Stalfos or undead guardian of the forest. This was the Cursed Swordsman, one of my predecessors! Now the only question was, how in the world did he end up here as a guardian of the Dark and protecting the Topaz? Surely the stone should have helped him clear his mind...right? Then again, who knows how long hes been stuck here or what happened to affect his memories. Magic gem or not, there's still a limit to what you can do. However, it looked like seeing Saria's Ocarina had loosened some memories, now its time to see if I can loosen some more.

I hesitantly drew back my hand, but the Hero's Shade didn't seem to notice the Ocarina had been taken away, and lifted the instrument to my lips. As soon as the first note of Saria's Song hit the air, the Hero's Shade relaxed, the light in his eye flickering out as his sword slipped from his fingers.

The song wasn't long, so it didn't take long for me to stop playing. As the last note faded, the undead swordsman seemed to take a deep breath and the light in his eye flickered back on. However, this time something was different.

" **Hero...thank you,"** he said.

There was a brilliant flash of light and, when I could see again, the Hero's Shade was gone, leaving nothing but the Topaz sitting in a small area that was free of leaves. I blinked at the rather anticlimactic ending.

"Wha…"

I was interrupted by a loud crack and looked up, just in time to see a massive crack appear in the dome of vines, sending a large chunk of wood plummeting towards me.

 **Ohhh, aren't I mean? Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I need to wrap this up and go to bed. Plus, I wanted to get this out.**

 **So, Gorl is nowhere to be seen and was replaced by the Hero's Shade, also known as the Hero of Time. But how in the world did a being like that end up as the focal point of a curse? And where is he now? Only time will tell.**

 **I don't plan to change all the Guardians, but that may change as I get to them. The method of defeating them will be different.**

 **So yeah, all of the weapons Lief will get will be tied to the Belt and the Gems. If anyone has any suggestions as to what he could get, I'm open to them. However, the next one will be the Ruby Clawshot since the Lake of Tears will be the equivalent of a Water Temple. Deep joy. Oh, and I plan to have him get the bombs at Dread Mountain. I wonder if you can guess why?**

 **Oh, and before I forget, Saria and Fado are NOT Sages. They just happen to look the same and have the same names as the Sage of Forest and Sage of Wind. Plus, they wont be the only characters from Zelda appearing since they tend to show up over and over again. Chances are we'll be seeing Malon, Rusl and possibly even Linebeck if I can spin it. I hope I can, Linebecks awesome.**

 **And with that, I'm done. Don't forget to leave a review on the way out!**


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